Board of Directors

2018-2020

These dedicated volunteers from the business and professional communities advise the Foundation and demonstrate exceptional leadership in philanthropy.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

John Barford, Foundation Chair
President, Valleydene Corp. Ltd.

Joined Foundation Board: 2007

John is President of Valleydene Corporation, a private investment holding company based in Toronto. He is the Chairman of St Michael's Hospital Foundation, and on the Advisory Boards of Investeco Funds and KingSett Canadian Real Estate Income Fund. He is the former Chairman of GSW Inc. and past Chair of Toronto Foundation. John has served on numerous public and private company boards, and is currently a Trustee of Trinity College School and the Bickle Foundation. He is a member of Young Presidents Organization Gold (YPO) and Chief Executives Organization (CEO).

John and his wife Jocelyn are the proud parents of four children.


JOHN M. CASSADAY, C.M., LL.D Foundation Vice Chair
Corporate Director, Retired Founding President and CEO of Corus Entertainment Inc. and Chair of Manulife Financial

Joined Foundation Board: 2004

John Cassaday was the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Corus Entertainment Inc. until his retirement in April 2015. Corus is a Canadian leader in radio and cable television. Corus also owns Nelvana, one of the world's leading producers of animated programming and related products. Prior to Corus, John was President of CTV Television Network and Campbell Soup Company in Canada and the U.K.

John is a highly seasoned governance expert. He is currently the Chair of Manulife Financial/John Hancock. He also sits on the Board of Sysco Corporation, Sleep Country Canada, and Irving Oil Ltd., a private corporation. John also served on the Board of Directors of Spin Master, Inc., Corus Entertainment Inc., Masonite International Corporation, J. M. Schneider Corporation, Canadian Airlines and Loblaw Companies Limited. He has also served on the Advisory Boards of Nestle Canada and IBM Canada. In his corporate board involvement, John has served at various times as Lead Director (Sysco and Spin Master), Chair of the Audit Committee (Masonite) and Chair of the Compensation Committee (Manulife, Irving, Sysco and Spin Master). John recently served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, was the Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and was the Chair of the 1995 United Way Campaign for Metro Toronto and Chair of the Board of St. Michael’s Hospital from 2004 to 2006. In 2005, John was the Co-Chair of the Toronto Area Health Sciences Network (TAHSN). John also Co-Chaired successful major fundraising campaigns for the Rotman School of Management and St. Michael’s Hospital.

John holds an M.B.A. (Dean’s List) from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and was honoured in 1998 as their most Distinguished Alumni. He has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Western Ontario. In June 2017 John was presented with a degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa from the University of Toronto.

John Cassaday is a Member of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In addition, John has also received many business, industry and charitable honours including the 2019 ICD Fellowship Award, the highest distinction for Corporate Directors in Canada; induction into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame; induction into the Marketing Hall of Legends in 2006 and the Gold Medal from the Association of Canadian Advertisers in 2004, which recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of marketing communications in Canada. John was also a recipient of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews 2004 Human Relations Award as well as the 2004 recipient of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ top honour, the Gold Ribbon Award for Broadcast Excellence. He was awarded the 1995 Paul Mulvihill Heart Award and was the recipient of the 1994 CEO Award of Excellence in Public Relations, presented by the Canadian Public Relations Society. Under his leadership, Corus was recognized for its excellence in investor relations, its corporate culture and its commitment to diversity, including Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Top Employers for Young People as well as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. Corus was honoured with two investor relations awards, the ARC Award for Best Overall Annual Report and the IR Magazine Award for Best Investment Community Meetings.

John lives in Toronto, is married and has three children.

Dr. Tim Rutledge, Foundation Vice Chair
President and CEO, Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital

Joined Foundation Board: 2018


Dr. Tim Rutledge is the first president and CEO of the network bringing together Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital. Before joining our network Tim was president and CEO of North York General Hospital from 2010 to 2018.

With a background in Emergency Medicine, Tim has held a number of leadership positions, including medical director of the Emergency Services Program at North York General from 1996 to 2007, and chair of the Medical Advisory Committee from 2002 to 2004, providing important leadership during the SARS epidemic in 2003. Tim developed a special interest in medical education early in his career. He chaired the committee that developed the University of Toronto’s first undergraduate course in Emergency Medicine and was the director of that course from 1995 to 2001. He has been recognized for his work in education with a number of awards including University of Toronto’s esteemed W. T. Aikins Award in 1997.

Tim is sought out as a writer and speaker on education, leadership capacity building and physician engagement. He is an associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at University of Toronto and a founding member of the Joint Centres for Transformative Health Care, a partnership of six large community hospitals with a goal of sharing innovations focused on improving quality and value in health care.


Jane Humphreys, Foundation Vice Chair
Director, St. Michael's Foundation

Joined Foundation Board: 2008


Jane’s extensive volunteer experience involved leading initiatives for the Canadian Women’s Club of London; the Toronto International Art Fair; Upper Canada College; Mayfair; and the Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts. She serves as a Director on the boards of the Canadian Art Foundation and the Foundation Fighting Blindness where she has chaired a number of fundraising events.

At St. Michael's Foundation, Jane has been Chair of the Donor Recognition Committee since 2011 and was a member of the Inspire 2018 campaign cabinet. She co-chaired the Women’s Team, raising over $3 million for a Chair in Women’s Health and continues to work with the Women’s Team to raise funds for the Emergency Department. Her professional career, which has focused on labour relations and human resources, includes management positions with the Oshawa Group, Domtar Chemicals Group and Consumers Gas. Jane holds a Master’s of Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto.


Lili Litwin, CFRE
President, St. Michael's Foundation

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


A senior fundraising executive, Lili has experience in designing and building teams, campaigns, principle and major gift programs for national and international organizations, and has designed and led award-winning social awareness campaigns.

Most recently as the Executive Director of Advancement at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, she successfully completed a $200 million campaign, including a capital campaign for a state-of-the-art expansion to the School. As a member of the Dean’s Executive Leadership Team and a member of the Senior Advancement Leadership team at the University of Toronto, she worked closely with senior management and faculty to oversee all external relations activities for the School. She established a strong pipeline of alumni annual giving by revamping alumni programming, launching marquee events and volunteer programming in Toronto and in key geographies around the world.  

Prior to her role at Rotman, Lili was Executive Director, North America of ONEXONE, overseeing activities in Canada, the US and Haiti. Lili was Editor of Charitable Giving, a Globe and Mail supplement, has presented at Association of Fundraising Professionals conferences in Toronto as well as represented various organizations through lectures and seminars at schools and universities across Canada.

Lili has extensive expertise in engaging stakeholders to create brand equity and raise support. Implementing traditional advancement strategies and designing award-winning social awareness campaigns has resulted in exponential growth and success during her tenure.

Lili holds a CFRE designation (Certified Fundraising Executive). She graduated with a B.A. from Glendon College in the bilingual stream as well as a B.Ed. from York University. Lili has completed executive leadership programs at the Rotman School including, MBA Essentials for Managers, Integrative Thinking and Value Investing.


Patrick B. Meneley, Foundation Treasurer
Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Development Officer, Hydro One Limited

Joined Foundation Board: 2015


Patrick is Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Corporate Development Officer of Hydro One Limited. In this capacity, he is responsible for leading strategy, innovation and mergers and acquisitions.

Prior to joining Hydro One, Patrick was EVP, Wholesale Banking at TD Bank Group and Vice Chair and Head of Global Corporate and Investment Banking for TD Securities. He spent 15 years leading and building the business in North America. He also led complex strategic and financing transactions for clients across a broad range of industries.

Patrick is a member of YPO Ontario Gold, and is a past recipient of Canada Top 40 Under 40 award. He is a member of the Board of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, and Chairs the Audit and Finance Committee. Patrick is also active in various other community and philanthropic organizations.

Patrick holds an MBA (with distinction) from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Commerce (with honours) from the University of British Columbia.

DIRECTORS

Ammar Al-Joundi
President, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Ammar was appointed President of Agnico Eagle on April 6, 2015. Having also served previously as the company’s Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, he has over 20 years of experience in finance and business strategy, and has extensive experience in mining, capital markets and banking.

Prior to his return to become Agnico Eagle’s President, Ammar served as the Chief Financial Officer of Barrick Gold Corporation, as Barrick’s Senior Executive Vice President and as its Executive Vice President. He has held various senior financial roles including Senior Vice President of Capital Allocation and Business Strategy, Senior Vice President of Finance, Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of Barrick South America and Vice President, Structured Finance at Citibank, Canada. Ammar is a Professional Engineer who graduated (with distinction) from the University of Toronto in Mechanical Engineering and has an MBA (with honours) from the University of Western Ontario.


Tony Arrell, C.M.
Chairman, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.

Joined Foundation Board: 2006


Tony started his career in 1969 as an investment analyst at Pitfield, Mackay, Ross. In 1977, he joined Gardiner Watson Ltd. In this role, Tony helped to develop the firm’s respected value-oriented research discipline. In 1979, Tony was appointed President and CEO of Gardiner Watson.

Tony subsequently joined Wood Gundy as Director of Research and later became responsible for Wood Gundy’s equity division. For three years he was headquartered in New York City, managing Wood Gundy’s U.S. operations as President and CEO. In 1988, following the sale of Wood Gundy to CIBC, Tony became Chairman and CEO of Walwyn Inc., which two years later acquired Midland Doherty to form Midland Walwyn Inc.

In late 1992, Tony left Midland Walwyn to become Chairman and CEO of Burgundy. In addition to his current role as Chairman of Burgundy, Tony conducts research on individual companies as a Portfolio Manager.

Tony graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science degree and from York University with a Master of Business Administration. In 2008, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University, and in 2012 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Guelph. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and the Toronto CFA Society.

Tony is a past Director of a number of public and private companies, including Fairfax Financial and Wood Gundy. He is a former Director of both the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Investment Dealers Association. Tony assisted in the establishment of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance and was a member of its initial Board of Directors.

Tony’s philanthropic efforts are organized around educational, arts and health organizations. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Schulich School of Business, and he was the Chairman of the Board of the Bishop Strachan School from 1997 to 2001. In 2017, the Arrell Family Foundation made a major contribution to the University of Guelph to establish the Arrell Food Institute, an organization committed to food research and education.

Tony is on the board of the Canadian Opera Company and is Chairman of the Canadian Opera Foundation. He is also a member and past Chairman of the St. Michael’s Foundation Board of Directors; he was a member of the Hospital Board for 11 years. He has been active for many years with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Tony has been honoured numerous times for his vision, leadership and contributions to the community. More recently, in December 2016, Tony was appointed a member of the Order of Canada.


Lloyd Barbara
Vice Chairman, Burgundy Asset Management Ltd.

Joined Foundation Board: 1999


Lloyd began his asset management career in 1964 when he joined William M. Mercer Ltd. During his eight years with Mercer, he spent most of his time analyzing investment managers and assisting clients with their manager choices. In 1972 he joined Confederation Life representing their value investment division known as Confed Investment Counselling and helped develop their asset management business in Eastern Canada. In 1991 he became head of their national marketing operation which comprised five regional offices across Canada. In 1994 Lloyd joined Burgundy as Senior Vice President with primary responsibility for new business development and client servicing for both private and institutional accounts across Canada, and subsequently institutional accounts in the United States and United Kingdom.

Over the years, Lloyd has been active in the community. He has sat on the Board of Directors of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation for over 20 years, is a member of the Rotary Club of Toronto and a past member of the Heart & Stroke Foundation Investment Committee. He was also a founding member of the Board of Dignitas International.


Gregory S. Belton, C.M., C.V.O.
HUB International HKMB | Ontario

Joined Foundation Board: 2006

Gregory is Executive Chairman of HUB International Canada, a regional division of HUB International Limited, one of the world’s top 10 global insurance brokerages with 13,000 employees in the U.S and Canada. In his capacity as Executive Chairman Gregory is responsible for all national mergers and acquisitions in the employee benefits and pensions sector. In philanthropic circles, Gregory is best known for his role as Chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award based in London, UK.

Gregory began his career in insurance in 1981 with Crawford and Company Insurance Adjustors in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by five years at Wellington Insurance Company in Toronto. At the age of 29, he left Wellington to purchase Muntz & Beatty Inc., one of Canada’s oldest commercial insurance brokerages.

Following the acquisition of three of Canadas’s oldest insurance brokerages, HKMB International Ltd was formed; which grew to become Canada’s largest privately owned commercial insurance broker. In 2008 HKMB joined HUB International Ltd and in 2014 HUB was acquired by Hellman & Friedman Capital Partners for U.S. $4.4 billion, in 2018 Altas Partners acquired 25% of HUB for USD$2.5 billion.

During the 1990’s, Gregory became involved with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, initially as President of the Ontario Division in 1992, and National President in 1994. In this role, he launched the Charter for Business which, to date, has generated corporate donations exceeding $35 million for “at risk” youth. In 1997, Gregory was appointed a Trustee of the International Award Association; from 2007 to 2015 he served as Chairman of the International Trustees; a position previously held by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. In 2015, HRH Prince Edward assumed the Chairmanship, Gregory became the Honorary Chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award World Fellowship. In addition to his position as Chairman of the International Trustees, he served as Chairman of the Business Advisory Group and of the 501c 3 Charitable Trust for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards in the U.S., and as a board member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International USA Award.

Gregory is also a director of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, the Palm Beach Civic Association, The Donner Canadian Foundation, The Investment Committee for the US based W.H. Donner Foundation and a Board Advisor for L’Arche Canada Foundation. His past directorships include the Toronto General Hospital Foundation, the Toronto Insurance Conference, Salt & Light Television and Co- Chairman of the Curators’ Circle Committee at the Art Gallery of Ontario and Securefact Corporation. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO); and was Chairman of the Upper Canada Chapter of YPO in 2000/2001.

From 2003-2005, Gregory was the first non-American to be appointed Chairman of U.S based Assurex Global, the world’s largest privately held risk management, commercial insurance and employee benefits group; serving for two terms.

Gregory has numerous national and international awards and recognitions:

Gregory was born in Toronto, Canada in 1958, was educated at St. Jean Brebeuf Jesuit School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Glendon College, York University. He is an active member of the Toronto Golf Club, Granite Club, the Toronto Club, The York Club, The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, The Royal Automobile Club, and Annabel’s in London, UK. He resides in Toronto and Palm Beach, has been married for 30 years and has three children: Scott who works in the insurance business at Lloyds in London; James, who is in the military; and Victoria, a graduate student in London, UK.


Julie Di Lorenzo
President, Diamante Urban Corp.

Joined Foundation Board: 2015


Julie is a leading Toronto builder and a prominent voice for the real estate development industry. She has served as President and Executive of the Board of the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association; and on the Board of Tarion, which administers the Ontario New Home Warranty Program. Julie serves on the York School Board, and recently enjoys serving as Board Member and mentor for The Next 36, which helps launch the careers of Canada's most promising undergraduates.

Some of the outstanding Toronto condominium buildings she has been responsible for developing were winners of the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Project of the Year for three consecutive years, an unprecedented accomplishment by a single builder. Julie led Toronto's development boom following the recession of the early '90s with One Balmoral, followed by landmark projects that include Two Roxborough St. East, 801 Bay St. Domus in Yorkville, Phoebe on Queen, as well as One City Hall, one of the largest residential projects built in Toronto in its time. Recent accomplishments include the Florian project, which broke ground in summer 2009 and is one of the standout residential projects to obtain construction financing in the difficult climate of 2009. It completed occupancy in 2012 and is reputed to be "one of Toronto's most beautiful buildings." The Diamond project in North York launched in 2015.

Julie was a member of the Hospital Board from 2006 to 2015, serving on the Planning and Construction, Research and Education, and Quality and Academic Affairs Committees.


William Downe, C.M.
Immediate and Past Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group

Joined Foundation Board: 2006


William Downe was Chief Executive Officer of BMO Financial Group from March 2007 until October 31, 2017.

Mr. Downe joined Bank of Montreal in 1983 and held a variety of senior management positions in Canada and the U.S. In 1999, he was appointed Vice-Chair, Bank of Montreal and in 2001, he was named Deputy Chair, BMO Financial Group & Chief Executive Officer, BMO Nesbitt Burns. In 2006, he was appointed Chief Operating Officer of BMO Financial Group.

Mr. Downe is lead director of ManpowerGroup Inc. and a member of their Executive Compensation and Human Resources Committee. He is a member of Rush System Board, a member of the Rush University Medical Center Board of Trustees, a member of their Development and Compensation and Human Resources Committees, and co-chair of the Rush Campaign Executive Committee. Mr. Downe is an advisory board member of the Rotman School of Management Martin Prosperity Institute (MPI) at the University of Toronto, and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. Mr. Downe also serves on the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs’ North American Free Trade Agreement Council.

Mr. Downe is an honorary director of Catalyst Inc., a past member of their Audit Committee and was Chair of Catalyst’s Canadian Advisory Board. He served on the board of the Business Council of Canada as well as their Governance and Nominating Committee. Mr. Downe served on the board of the International Monetary Conference (IMC) and was a member of their Nominating Committee. He was Vice-Chair, Business and Finance, on the National Executive Committee of the 2015 Governor General Canadian Leadership Conference and is Past President of the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Advisory Council.

Mr. Downe is a member of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation Board, a member of its Executive Committee, and past member of the Inspire 2018 Campaign Cabinet. He is also a member of the campaign executive for The Campaign for the University of Toronto. Mr. Downe served as Chairman of the 2009 Campaign Cabinet for United Way of Greater Toronto, and is also past Chair of the Board of Directors of St. Michael’s Hospital.

Mr. Downe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Toronto, and also received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University. He was recognized in September 2016 by the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Canada Institute and received the Center’s Award for Corporate Citizenship. In October 2017, Mr. Downe was honoured with the Rotman Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Toronto. Prior to this, he received the Rotman Distinguished Business Alumni Award from the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management.

Mr. Downe is a Member of the Order of Canada.


The Honourable Nicole C. Eaton
Senator (Ontario)

Joined Foundation Board: 2002


Appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2009, Nicky has a long history of volunteerism and patronage of the charitable sector. Presently, she is Director and Vice-Chair of the National Ballet of Canada and Chair of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. In addition to her significant philanthropic work, Nicky is also a member and supporter of the Federal Progressive Conservative Party, where she has been a chair of several leadership conventions. Previously, Nicky has served in varying capacities on a number of other organizations, including the Royal Ontario Museum, the George R. Gardiner Museum, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the Stratford Festival of Canada. Nicky is the co-author of two books, In a Canadian Garden and At Home in Canada.

Nicky is the former Vice Chair of St. Michael’s Foundation, a member of the Foundation’s Donor Recognition Committee and a supporter of the campaign to renovate our Ophthalmology Clinic, part of Inspire 2018.


Timothy K. Griffin
Chairman, Connor, Clark and Lunn Private Capital Ltd.

Joined Foundation Board: 1992


Tim is Chairman of Connor, Clark and Lunn Private Capital Ltd. His career includes 15 years at Royal Trust/Royal Bank culminating in his role as President and CEO of the institutional fund management operation. Tim spent 10 years in the consulting and book publishing businesses. He is actively involved in several community organizations, including Ridley College Foundation in St. Catharines, where he is a Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee and the Board of Directors of the Bishop’s University Foundation.

Tim served as Chair of the St. Michael's Foundation Board of Directors for five years; co-chaired the Urban Angel capital campaign from 1996-1998; and was a member of the Cabinet for the It all starts with caring campaign. He was Co-Chair, Leadership Gifts for the Advancing care. Every day. campaign and chaired the campaign to renovate our Ophthalmology Clinic, part of the Inspire 2018 campaign.


Gwen Harvey
Founder and President, Bridgewater Family Wealth Services

Joined Foundation Board: 2014


For over 35 years, Gwen has worked with families facing the complexities inherent in multi-generational wealth. A BComm graduate, Gwen is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP); a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU); and a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP). In conjunction with her family foundation, Gwen attended the Rockefeller Foundation’s Philanthropy Workshop. She serves as a Director of the Patrick and Barbara Keenan Foundation; a Heritage Governor of the Royal Ontario Museum; a Director of St. Michael’s Hospital Research Institute; and is a past Director of Dignitas International and The Bishop Strachan School.


Ken Hugessen
Partner, Hugessen Consulting, Inc.

Joined Foundation Board: 2015


Ken is a well-known advisor to boards on executive compensation and related performance, governance and shareholder matters. Ken founded Hugessen Consulting in 2006 to meet the growing demand from boards for direct access to independent advice on executive compensation and related performances and governance matters. Based in Toronto, he has over 30 years’ experience consulting in Canada, the U.S. and the UK to both public and private corporations, and to large pension/sovereign wealth funds. He works with clients to align executive pay outcomes with corporate and individual performance, and to strengthen board governance and support director-led engagement with the shareholder community. He writes and speaks extensively on the role of the Board, and the Compensation Committee and its Chair in executive compensation, and is a faculty member in the Institute of Corporate Directors and Directors Education Program.


John S. Hunkin
Former CEO, CIBC

Joined Foundation Board: 1998


John retired from the position of CEO of CIBC in 2005, after a 36-year career with the bank. He is a member and former chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Schulich School of Business and is a past member of the Board of Governors at York University (since 2011), where he served on the Finance and Audit Committee and the Executive Committee. He was on the York University Board from 1994 to 2004.

John is a former Chair of the CAMH Foundation Board and also actively served as a member of that Board, co-chairing the Governance and Nominations Committee and as a member of the Finance and Audit Committee. He is a member of the Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation. He is also a former member of the Enablis Foundation, the Canadian Psychiatric Foundation and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. John received an LLD (Hon.) from York University and was a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award in 2002. In 2009, he received the Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, GTA Chapter.

John is a former Chair of the Foundation Board, a former member of the Executive Committee and was a member of the Inspire 2018 campaign cabinet.


Pat Lace
Vice President, Draxson Holdings Limited

Joined Foundation Board: 2008


Pat is Vice President of Draxson Holdings Limited, a private investment holding company based in Toronto. Previously she held positions at the Royal Bank of Canada, Nova Corp, and the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary. Her community volunteer experience includes work with the Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Schools, Upper Canada College, The Junior League of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital. Pat earned a B.Sc. from the University of Calgary, and an MBA in Managerial Economics and Finance from the University of Ottawa.

Pat was a member of the Angel Ball Cabinet Committee in 2008 and 2011, on the committee for the Women’s Health Centre, co-chaired the campaign for the Chair in Women’s Health and served on the Campaign Cabinet for The Inspire 2018 Campaign. She is currently Chair of the Foundation’s Annual Program Committee, is Co-Chair of the Women’s Team and serves on the Cabinet for MAP – Centre for Urban Health Solutions.


Sonya Canzian
Vice President Clinical Programs
Chief Nursing & Health Disciplines Officer
St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre (Interim)

Joined Foundation Board: 2018


A registered nurse, Sonya Canzian joined St. Michael’s Hospital in 1989. Since then, she has held progressively senior positions in critical care, education and administration.

At St. Michael’s Hospital, Sonya is responsible for operational management of the Trauma/Neurosurgery, Mobility, Heart and Vascular, Critical Care, Specialized Complex Care and Cancer Services programs. In her Interim role at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Sonya is responsible for site and operational management of all clinical program areas and services. Sonya is also accountable for Nursing and Health Disciplines professional practice, education and research across both sites.

Sonya is cross appointed to the University of Toronto, is a lecturer in the Critical Care Program at George Brown College, Canadian Nurses Association mentor for neuroscience nursing certification, National Director and instructor for the Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses course for the Society of Trauma Nurses. Sonya holds a Masters in health science from Charles Sturt University in Australia.


John Manning
Managing Director, BMO Equity Capital Markets

Joined Foundation Board: 2012


John is a Managing Director in Equity Capital Markets and one of the firm’s most experienced professionals responsible for originating and executing equity and equity-linked financing transactions. John has been with BMO Capital Markets for 24 years, joining in 1996 and spending several years in Corporate Finance and Mergers and Acquisitions. John has been in the Equity Capital Markets group since 2000 and was Head of Equity Syndication for nine years before assuming senior origination and execution responsibilities in the Energy, Energy Infrastructure and Financial Services industries.

John holds an HBA and MBA from the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business. He is a member of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and past co-chair (2007-2016) of the St. Michael’s Foundation annual Urban Angel Golf Classic.


Melissa Martin
Director, St. Michael's Foundation

Joined Foundation Board: 2010


Melissa is an active and committed member of the Toronto community. She and her husband Joe Natale were Co-Chairs of the 2008 and 2011 Angel Ball Galas, along with Tony and Lina Gagliano, which together raised $5.9 million for hospital priorities. In 2014, Melissa and Joe, along with Tony and Lina Gagliano in their third consecutive outing as Angel Ball Co-Chairs, and Alison and Anatol von Hahn, made St. Michael’s Gala history when they raised $3.5 million in net revenue. In 2012, Melissa also co-chaired the inaugural Angel Bowl, which raised over $260,000.

She and Joe have volunteered on behalf of many charitable initiatives including Juvenile Diabetes, the Royal Conservatory of Music, Soulpepper Theatre, the Ontario Science Centre and Luminato. Melissa’s community work goes back 20 years when she started her volunteer career with Junior Achievement. For five years, Melissa guided high school students through successful strategies for operating a small business including the development, manufacturing and marketing cycles. Melissa is a former marketing executive with experience leading national campaigns for both consumer and business-to-business enterprises. She has worked in the telecom and consumer packaged goods sectors for both the agency and client sides across all media including TV, print and direct mail. Her areas of expertise include brand building and management, database modeling and segmentation as well as retention and loyalty programs.


Barry McInerney
President and Chief Executive Officer, Mackenzie Investments

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Barry McInerney is President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments.

Mr. McInerney was raised and educated in Canada, and is a dual citizen of both Canada and the United States, having lived and worked in the United States for fifteen years. He has more than 25 years of experience in the investment management industry, leading Canadian, US and global investment businesses.

Prior to joining Mackenzie Investments, Mr. McInerney was Co-Chief Executive Officer of BMO Global Asset Management, responsible for BMO’s asset management business in the United States, Europe Middle East Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific. Prior to BMO, Mr. McInerney was Managing Director, Americas Institutional for Russell Investments where he served as a member of Russell’s Global Management Committee and the Russell Trust Company Board. Prior to Russell, Mr. McInerney spent 19 years with Mercer Inc. where he held a number of senior leadership positions including President of Mercer Global Investments in the U.S. and globally, President & Chairman of the Mercer Trust Company, and President of Mercer Investment Consulting in the U.S. and Canada.

Mr. McInerney is a graduate of the Master of Business Administration and the Bachelor of Commerce programs at the University of Toronto – Rotman School of Management. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA) designations.

Mr. McInerney serves on the Board of China Asset Management Co., Ltd., Rotman School of Management’s Dean’s Advisory Board, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation Board, and is member of the Board of Directors of Alpine Canada.


James McPhedran
Executive Vice President, Canadian Banking, Scotiabank

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


James joined Scotiabank in 1996, and was appointed to his current position in June 2015, after serving as Executive Vice President, Retail Distribution, Canadian Banking. Previously, he held the positions of Senior Vice President, Ontario Region, Canadian Banking, and Managing Director and Head of Scotia Private Client Group, as well as roles in marketing, financial and estate planning and insurance. Prior joining Scotiabank, James spent 10 years with American Express.

James is a graduate of Queen’s University, and has completed both the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of Business and the Senior Executive Program at the London Business School. He currently sits on the boards of Tangerine Bank, the Toronto Region Board of Trade, and St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation.

James and his wife Sue have two children.


Shawn McReynolds
Managing Partner, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

Joined Foundation Board: 2014


Shawn has been Managing Partner of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP in Toronto since 2010 and is responsible for the firm’s strategic direction.

A leading capital markets and M&A lawyer, Shawn has served as lead counsel to issuers and underwriters, advising on many of Canada’s most significant public and private financings. Bringing his broad perspective to both hostile and negotiated mergers and acquisitions, he has acted for acquirers, targets, controlling shareholders and committees of independent directors. Senior executives and institutional investors have regularly turned to Shawn for advice on their corporate governance matters.

Shawn joined Davies in 1982 and became a partner in 1986. He attended the Royal Military College of Canada and McGill University, from which he received his LL.B. Shawn is a former lecturer in Securities Regulation at McGill University and a former adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. Among other aspects of his community involvement, Shawn serves on the Board of Directors of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation in Toronto.

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is a business law firm with offices in Toronto, Montreal and New York.


Bruce H. Mitchell
Chairman & CEO, Permian Industries Ltd.

Joined Foundation Board: 2016


Bruce is founder and owner of Permian Industries Limited, a Toronto-based management and holding company. Permian is the sole shareholder of Trophy Foods, a processor and distributor of edible nuts and nut based confectionary products, and Integrated Solutions Group, a U.S.-based technology services and software provider for medical clinics and agricultural co-operatives. Permian has been sole owner of an automotive O.E.M. parts and components manufacturer and has held a significant ownership position in a number of companies including North America’s largest grower, marketer and distributor of greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers; a western Canadian oil and gas producer and explorations company; an advertising agency and a manufacturer of UV light based water purification devices.

Bruce is a Trustee of the Ridley College Foundation. He has served on the Board of Directors of Bank of Montreal, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research as Vice-Chair, as well as several other public company, private corporation and not-for-profit Boards. He was elected Captain of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland for the year 2017-2018, and was the first Canadian to hold the position and the ninth Captain from outside the United Kingdom in the Club’s 265 years of existence. He graduated with a B.Sc. (engineering) from Queen’s University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.


Sherri Neldner
Director, St. Michael's Foundation

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


From 2006 to 2015, Sherri served as Vice President at Alaris Royalty Corp., a private equity firm based in Calgary, Alberta. At Alaris, Sherri played a key role in leading the evaluation and structuring of new investment opportunities, as well as working with senior management teams to monitor investment performance and strategic options. 

Prior to joining Alaris in 2006, Sherri held increasingly senior positions at CIBC Capital Partners in Toronto, the merchant banking group of CIBC which provided debt and equity investments in later stage businesses. During her five years at CIBC, Sherri had responsibility for sourcing and evaluating new investment opportunities, transaction structuring, and managing the investment process for initial and follow-on investments. Prior to joining CIBC, she spent two years in the Mergers and Acquisitions group of RBC Capital Markets.

Sherri has an MBA from the University of Toronto and a BBA (honours) from Bishop’s University. She has volunteered for many non-profit organizations in various capacities including The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, United Way of Calgary, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Calgary Westside Recreation Centre. She is a married mother of four children and is actively involved in their schools and activities.


James (Jim) Nikopoulos
President, ECN Capital Corp.

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Jim Nikopoulos is President of ECN Capital Corporation, a leading U.S. and Canadian commercial finance company. Previously, Mr. Nikopoulos served as Chief Operating Officer of ECN Capital and Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Element Financial Corporation, one of North America’s leading independent equipment finance companies.

Before joining Element Financial Corporation, Mr. Nikopoulos was Vice President, Corporate Development and General Counsel at TeraGo Inc., an entrepreneurial information technology company, where he was responsible for overseeing acquisitions, strategic and regulatory initiatives, and advising all business units across Canada.

Prior to that, he was a Partner at Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP, a preeminent and innovative business law firm, where he practiced in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, governance and securities as well as general corporate and commercial law.

Mr. Nikopoulos has recently been appointed Director, St. Michael’s Foundation and previously served as Board Chair at TeraGo Inc. He also holds positions on numerous charitable and private boards.

Mr. Nikopoulos earned an Honours BA degree (Economics & Political Science) from the University of Toronto and a Law degree (JD) from Osgoode Hall Law School. Mr. Nikopoulos was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 Lawyers by Lexpert in 2014.


Michael Norris
Former Deputy Chairman, RBC Capital Markets, RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

Joined Foundation Board: 2005


Michael retired in 2012 after a 25 year career with RBC Capital Markets, most recently as Deputy Chairman. During his career at RBC, Michael held various executive roles, including Head of Global Investment Banking, Head of RBC's Energy Business and a member of both the Operating and Executive Committees of RBC Capital Markets. Prior to RBC, Mike was an executive with both Mobil Oil and Gulf Canada.

Mike is a board member on several companies, including Keyera Corp., Addax and Oryx Group (Malta), Recipe Operations Inc. and Chairman of Taplytics Inc. He is an active volunteer on several charitable boards, including St. Michael's Hospital Foundation. He is a Queen’s Engineer and holds a MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business.


Kerry O'Reilly Wilks
Head of Legal, North America & UK, Vale

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Kerry O’Reilly Wilks is the Chief Officer, Legal, Regulatory & External Affairs with TransAlta Corporation where her portfolio spans legal, communications, government relations, stakeholder engagement, indigenous affairs, communications, regulatory and market policy, corporate secretarial, governance and trading compliance.

Prior to this position, Kerry was Head of Legal, North Atlantic & UK, for Vale. In this role, Kerry oversaw all issues of the business arising in North America and the UK. Kerry also sat as the Head of Legal, Corporate & Marketing, as well as the Global Chief IT Counsel for Vale across all business lines. In addition, Kerry occupied a senior strategic advisory role with Vale's Asia-Pacific affiliates, as Head of Legal, Asia Pacific, where she faced the challenges relating to being the legal representative of a publicly traded multinational dealing with foreign governments, regulators and significant business partners. Prior to joining Vale, Kerry worked as a partner with one of the leading business law firms in Canada.

Kerry is also the Founder and Chairperson of Malachy’s Soiree, an annual gala and auction in support of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. Kerry sits on the Board of Directors of St. Michael’s Hospital, as well as on the Business Services Committee and Research & Education Committee of the Board of Directors of St. Michael’s Hospital.

Kerry was named as one of Lexpert's Rising Stars - Top 40 under 40 lawyers in Canada in 2012, as well as UNB’s Alumni of Distinction in 2015 for her significant contributions to her profession on a global scale, as well as to communities, globally. In 2017, Kerry was awarded a Zenith Award as one of the leading female lawyers in Canada and a significant change agent for women in law and society. She has also been noted as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada. In 2019, Kerry was named as one of the Top General Counsel Thought Leaders in North America at the Corporate Counsel's 2019 Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards in Washington, DC.


Dr. Tom Parker
Vice President, Programs, Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital
Chief Medical Officer, St. Michael’s Hospital

Joined Foundation Board: 2018


Dr. Parker oversees the Unity Health Toronto clinical programs of Primary Care and Community Health, Kidney and Metabolism, Medical Imaging, and Laboratory Medicine, as well as the Emergency and Medicine program at the St. Michael’s site.

Dr. Parker was recruited to St. Michael’s Hospital in 2003 to head up the Division of Cardiology and as the inaugural recipient of the Brazilian Ball Chair in Cardiology Research – positions he held until 2010. Since 2010, he has also served as the Medical Lead of the hospital’s Elder Care Strategy, Co-Lead of the Urban Community Patient Priority, Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee, and was a member of the Joint Board Steering Committee during the integration of Providence Healthcare, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital. Prior to being appointed VP and CMO, Dr. Parker was Physician-in-Chief and Squires-Chalmers professor in the Department of Medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital. He is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

He received his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario and undertook postgraduate clinical training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Toronto followed by a Research Fellowship in Molecular Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas.


The Honourable David R. Peterson, P.C., Q.C., O. Ont., C. St. J., C.L.H., D.U., L.L.D.
Senior Counsel, Cassels Brock and Blackwell, LLP

Joined Foundation Board: 2014

Mr. Peterson is Senior Counsel at the Toronto law firm of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, where he practices corporate/commercial law.

Mr. Peterson is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Toronto, Chairman Emeritus of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, a Director of St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, was Chairman of the successful 2009 Toronto bid for 2015 Pan Am Games and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2015 Pan American – Parapan American Games.

He has been a Director of over 30 public and private companies. He is currently a Director of Rogers Communications Inc., Franco-Nevada Corporation, Ivanhoe Cambridge and he is currently a Governor of the Stratford Festival. He was also the Founding Chairman of the Toronto Raptors Basketball Club Inc. and Chapters Inc.

Mr. Peterson is or was Chairman or Director or active with a number of charitable, educational and environmental organizations including the Shaw Festival, the Coady International Institute, Toronto City Summit Alliance, the Ontario March of Dimes, the Ontario Canada Day Committee, Canadian Club, Cercle Canadien, Council for Canadian Unity, Young Presidents Organization, World President’s Organization, the Society for Educational Visits & Exchanges in Canada, Frontier College, Peter Lougheed Medical Research Foundation, Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, Magnetic True North Theatre, West Park Health Centre and Toronto Abuse Centre.

He was Chairman of the Commonwealth Team observing the 1992 elections in Guyana. He was Chief Federal Negotiator for the devolution of the Northwest Territories and led on a number of important negotiations with the First Nations, including Caledonia and the Ontario Gaming Agreement.

He is a Senior Fellow at Massey College, a fellow of McLaughlin College and Executive-in-Residence at Rotman School of Management and was an Adjunct Professor at York University. He speaks often on national and international issues, as well as being a frequent commentator on television.

Mr. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Toronto and studied at the University of Caen, France.

He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1969 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1980 and was appointed by Her Majesty to the Privy Council in 1992. Mr. Peterson has been awarded many honorary degrees, including doctorships from the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa.

In 1994 the government of France appointed him a Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour of France. In 1995 the International Assembly of French-Speaking Parliamentarians presented him with the Ordre de la Pléiade. He was awarded the Order of Ontario in 2009.

In 1975 he was elected as a Member of the Ontario Legislature, and became the leader of the Ontario Liberal party in 1982. He served as Premier of the Province between 1985 and 1990, overseeing a very active period of reform and playing a major role in the country’s constitutional discussions.

He resides in Toronto and Caledon with his actress/author wife Shelley. They have three children - Benjamin, Chloë and Adam, five grandsons and the most beautiful granddaughter on earth. Mr. Peterson’s interests include theatre, riding, biking, reading and gardening.


Timothy R. Price
Chairman, Funds Management, Brookfield Asset Management

Joined Foundation Board: 1992


Timothy Price is currently Chairman of Brookfield Funds. He previously served as Chairman of the boards of directors of Brascan Financial Corporation (formerly Trilon Financial Corporation), The Edper Group Limited and Hees International Bancorp Inc. Tim has had over 40 years of management experience with the Brookfield Group of companies.

Tim is currently active on several boards: Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, York University Development Corporation, The Shaw Festival, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, Ontario Arts Foundation and the Leacock Foundation. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

In the community, Tim sits on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Schulich School of Business at York University and he has served on the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation Board and the York University Board of Governors. Tim was honoured with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Victoria in 2001.

Tim was a member of the Inspire 2018 campaign cabinet, served as a campaign member for two previous campaigns and co-chaired the Trauma-Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit Campaign.


William (Bill) Pringle, CFA
Associate Portfolio Manager, RBC Wealth Management - Dominion Securities

Joined Foundation Board: 2016


Co-Chair, St. Michael's Young Leaders

Bill is an associate portfolio manager at RBC Wealth Management - Dominion Securities where he is involved in all aspects of managing clients’ assets including research, analysis and implementation of investment strategies. He joined RBC after completing a double major in Economics and Political Science at Dalhousie University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Bill has been involved with St. Michael’s since 2013 when he joined St. Michael’s Young Leaders (SMYL), including Co-Chairing SMYL’s Duffer Golf Tournament Committee. He now serves as Co-Chair of SMYL.


Gillian Riley
Executive Vice-President, Canadian Commercial Banking, Scotiabank

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Gillian Riley has been a force in the Canadian banking industry for over two decades. She is currently at the leading edge of digital banking in Canada as the President & CEO of Tangerine, where she drives the bank’s strategic direction to provide Canadians with simple and innovative banking.

Gillian has held several senior leadership positions across Scotiabank in Retail, Small Business, Commercial Banking and Operations. Through this experience, she gained an in-depth understanding of banking and the importance of delivering compelling customer experiences. During this time, Gillian was also the pioneer behind the Scotiabank Women Initiative (SWI), which helps advance women-led businesses through access to capital.

Beyond banking, Gillian is a past President of the Canadian Club of Toronto and a Director of the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation.

She is a mother of three who can be seen cheering on the Toronto Raptors and could not be more proud to lead the Official Bank of the NBA Champions and their fans!


Kay Schonberger
Mergers & Acquisitions, RBC Capital Markets

Joined Foundation Board: 2018


Co-Chair, St. Michael’s Young Leaders

Kay has an HBA from Western University’s Ivey Business School as well as an MBA from Columbia Business School (Dean’s Honor List). She joined SMYL in 2015 as a volunteer and has served as Innovation Chair since 2016, helping to launch The Bowler. She currently works at RBC Capital Markets as an Associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions team. Previously, she worked as an associate at GCS in Toronto, and as an analyst at Fox-Pitt, Kelton in Chicago and Credit Suisse in Los Angeles.


Helen Sinclair
Special Advisor, Deloitte
CEO, BCN.tv

Joined Foundation Board: 2012


Helen serves as Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of BankWorks Trading Inc. She served as President of the Canadian Bankers Association from 1989 to 1996 and previously with the Bank of Nova Scotia. She has been an Independent Director of the Toronto-Dominion Bank since June 1996 and an Independent Director of Toronto-Dominion Bank Holding Company of TD Mortgage Investment Corp. since June 1996.

Helen has been a Trustee of Davis Henderson Income Fund (also known as Davis + Henderson Corp.) since July 23, 2004 and Davis + Henderson G.P. Inc., the general partner of Davis Henderson Income Fund, since May 31, 2002. She has been a Director of EPCOR Utilities Inc. since May 9, 2008 and serves as a Director of CPP Investment Board, McCain Capital Corp., Superbuild and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Helen served as a Director of Transat AT Inc. since March 2003 and Director of US Steel Canada Inc. since 1995. Helen holds an undergraduate degree from York University and an MA from the University of Toronto, both in Economics. She is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program of the Harvard Business School. Helen was a member of the Inspire 2018 campaign cabinet.


Kate Stevenson
Director, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Open Text Corporation, CAE Inc., and Capital Power Corporation

Joined Foundation Board: 2017


Kate is a member of the Board of Directors of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Open Text Corporation, CAE Inc., and Capital Power Corporation, all publicly traded companies. She currently serves as Chair of the CIBC Corporate Governance Committee.  

Kate’s not-for-profit experience has been focused on education. At the University of Guelph, she was Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors, and she also served as Chair of the Board of The Bishop Strachan School.  

Kate was formerly a senior executive at Nortel Networks where she was global Treasurer, and prior to Nortel, Kate was an executive at JP Morgan.

She graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude and holds the professional designation ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Kate is a citizen of both the United States and Canada. She and her husband, John, have two grown children, and live in Toronto.


Daniel F. Sullivan
Director, St. Michael's Foundation

Joined Foundation Board: 1993


Dan recently completed a four year appointment as Consul General for Canada in New York, following a distinguished career in the financial services sector. He is the former Deputy Chairman of Scotia Capital Inc., where he had a successful 38 year career. He has served as Chair and Director of The Toronto Stock Exchange and Chair of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada.

Dan is the director of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, Allied Properties REIT and choice Properties. He is a former director of Allstream Inc., Cadillac Fairview Corporation, Camco Inc., Monarch Development Corporation and Schneider Corporation. Dan was Chair of the Board of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network, the provincial government health authority of Toronto. He has served on a number of federal and provincial government committees and advisory board and has been a director of a number of arts, educational and community organizations. Dan is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, a recipient of the Service Medal (and is a Fellow) of the Foreign Policy Association of the United States, the Arbour Award from the University of Toronto and the Human Relations Award from the Canadian Centre for Diversity. He holds a degree from Columbia University and the University of Toronto.


Frank Techar
Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group

Joined Foundation Board: 2015


Frank was appointed Vice-Chair of BMO Financial Group in November 2016. In this role, he leverages his broad and deep experience spanning three decades in global financial services to focus on accelerating the bank’s business growth in all markets, and particularly in the U.S. Midwest, which continues to be a mainstay of the bank’s growth plans.

Frank began his career with BMO Financial Group in the Corporate Banking Division in 1984, holding a variety of senior management positions in Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. He led the bank’s U.S. Personal and Commercial business from 2002 to 2006, as President and CEO of BMO’s Chicago-based Harris Bankcorp, Inc., now BMO Harris Bank. In 2006, he was appointed President and CEO of the Personal and Commercial banking businesses in Canada. From 2013-2016, Frank served as COO of BMO Financial Group, with overall accountability for BMO’s Personal and Commercial and Wealth businesses as well as the bank’s retail distribution channels, serving more than nine million customers. Frank was also accountable for overseeing aspects of marketing, technology and operations.

Frank is a member of the United Way of Greater Toronto’s Board of Trustees and served on the Campaign Cabinet from 2009 to 2011. He has also chaired the annual giving campaign for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago; is a Life Trustee of Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago; and is a member of the Executive Council of the Canadian Bankers Association. A native of Minnesota, Frank earned a Bachelor of Science and Engineering degree from Princeton University in 1978 and an MBA from the University of Denver in 1983.

Frank served on the Hospital Board from 2010-2017. He chaired the Planning and Construction Committee, and was a member of the Research and Education Committee and the Governance and Nominating Committee. He was Chair of the Foundation Board from February 2015 to March 2018 and was a member of the Inspire 2018 campaign cabinet.


Michael J. Thompson*

Joined Foundation Board: 2005


Michael co-founded Ontario Acoustic Supply in 1981. Since then, the company has grown to become the largest single source location of commercial ceiling systems in North America. It is a master distributor of Canadian Gypsum Corp., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of United States Gypsum, the world’s largest manufacturer of drywall, acoustic ceilings and ceiling systems. Michael was actively involved with the Markham Islander Hockey Organization for 15 years and worked extensively raising funds for the Good Shepherd Centre, the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness and the North York Women’s Shelter. Michael was also a director of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

Michael was a member of the It all starts with caring capital campaign at St. Michael’s, and he co-chaired the annual Urban Angel Golf Classic, which marked its 13th year of netting over $1 million in 2019.

* Michael J. Thompson – our dedicated volunteer, generous founder and loyal friend – passed away January 2020.


Tom Woods
Former Vice Chairman, CIBC

Joined Foundation Board: 2019


Tom retired from the position of Vice Chairman of CIBC in 2014, after a 37-year career with the bank and predecessor Wood Gundy. During that time he also served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer, as well as in positions in Investment and Corporate Banking.

Tom is a member of the boards of Bank of America Corporation, Merrill Lynch International, and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). He also is a director of CIBC Children’s Foundation; is on the Advisory Board of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Dept, University of Toronto; and is on the Investment Advisory Committee of Cordiant Capital Inc., an emerging markets debt fund.

He is a former Board Chair of Unity Health Toronto; Hydro One Limited; and Covenant House Toronto. He has also served on the boards of St. Joseph’s Health Centre; TMX Group; Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd.; DBRS Limited; Canadian Opera Company; De La Salle College; and Covenant House International.

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